I read that casting directors have voted to join the Teamsters. What does this mean, for actors?

Ah, yes. I received the email from the LA and NY joint casting union steering committee last week announcing that the NLRB-sponsored election results came in (and in a landslide), with 96% of the voting CDs and casting associates approving the representation by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The actual numbers were 243 votes for joining with the Teamsters and 9 votes against. Only a handful of casting directors and casting associates were chosen to cast votes in this election, on both coasts.

I’m told that we will now begin good faith negotiations with the AMPTP (with Teamsters as our official bargaining representatives) in order to secure basic standard working conditions and benefits.

What this means for actors is that interactions with theatrical casting directors will likely become more standardized, as a rule. But, just as with most interactions between actors and Teamsters, there will be little change to the way an actor does his or her job unless there is a work stoppage due to a breakdown in negotiations between Teamsters and the AMPTP on casting directors’ behalf. Should we find we are not granted standardized working conditions, a certain number of producer-funded assistants for each production we cast, or a P&H package at the level of our peers in pre-production, CDs — along with all Teamsters — would likely strike, a choice that impacts actors on nearly every set.

What this vote means for casting directors, obviously, is that we can now negotiate to get health care and retirement coverage as well as minimum rates of pay and maximum number of hours worked per day without overtime, just like all current Teamsters members as well as the members of AFTRA, SAG, DGA, IATSE, IBEW, Laborers, and WGA. (That’s actors, directors, grips, mechanics, stunt coordinators, costumers, location scouts, lighting techs, DPs, camera operators, sound recordists, propsmasters, set designers, makeup artists, location managers, studio drivers, and animal wranglers, among others.) We were not recognized as a bargaining collective by the AMPTP until last week’s vote results came through.

Thanks to everyone for the support and encouragement you show those of us whose jobs are impacted by this vote and the years of work that has led us to this moment. Keep an eye out for further developments!

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/000250.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.